Deaths in South Africa as mobs target foreigners
At least five killed in Durban since last week in violence that
has left hundreds stranded, unable to return home.
15 Apr 2015 10:43 GMT | Africa, South Africa
Some South Africans have
accused immigrants of taking
jobs and opportunities away from
them [Reuters]
Some South Africans have accused immigrants of taking jobs
and opportunities away from them [Reuters]
Violence against immigrants in South Africa has killed at least
five people since last week in one of the worst outbreak of
violence in years against foreigners in years.
Hundreds of migrants mostly from other African countries had
been forced out of their homes, authorities told the Associated
Press news agency on Tuesday.
Khadija Patel, a South African journalist, told Al Jazeera there
have been previous instances of violence against foreigners.
"Hundreds of foreign nationals were displaced in Isipingo
(20km south of Durban) late last month, when a group of
South Africans attacked foreigners living and working in the
area. The victims of that continue to reside in a makeshift
camp at a sports ground in Isipingo," Patel said.
"The Isipingo attacks was blamed on a labour dispute at a
local wholesaler, and government refused to caegorise the
violence as xenophobic violence," Khadija added.
Hundreds of foreign nationals were displaced in Isipingo late
last month, when a group of South Africans attacked
foreigners living and working in the area. The victims of that
continue to reside in a makeshift camp at a sports ground in
Isipingo,
Most of the recent unrest occurred in and around the coastal
city of Durban, where police said two foreigners and three
South Africans were killed.
The dead included a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly shot
during looting on Monday night and died at a hospital, police
official, Jay Naicker, police spokesperson, said.
About 34 people have been arrested for possession of
unlicensed firearms and other crimes in the last two days, he
said.
"Police are deployed and in high alert in most of the areas
where there are foreign nationals," Naicker said in a statement.
Despite the increased police presence, authorities are hard
pressed to stop unrest that recalls similar violence in South
Africa in 2008 in which about 60 people died.
In January this year, four people died during a week of looting
of foreign-owned shops and other violence in Soweto and
other areas of Johannesburg, stores owned by foreigners in
Johannesburg are closing for fear of the violence spreading.
Zulu king's comments
Some South Africans have accused immigrants of taking jobs
and opportunities away from them.
The latest violence followed reported comments by Zulu King
Goodwill Zwelithini, an influential figure among the Zulu ethnic
group, that foreigners should "pack their bags" and leave.
Zwelithini has since appealed for an end to the unrest, and
says he has been misquoted, but many of those rioting were
heard chanting "the King has spoken," Patel said.
The southern African nation of Malawi plans to repatriate at
least 400 of its citizens following the attacks in South Africa,
said Kondwani Nankhumwa, Malawi's information minister.
Malawi is currently in discussions with South Africa to arrange
temporary travel papers for stranded Malawians because most
lost their passports in the chaos, Nankhumwa said.
"Most of them fled with literally nothing to safe camps,"
Nankhumwa said.
"The numbers will swell since some Malawians are in hiding."
South Africa President Jacob Zuma condemned the violence
and assigned several cabinet ministers to work on the problem
with officials in KwaZulu-Natal province, which includes
Durban.
The government is addressing South African citizens'
"complaints about illegal and undocumented migrants, the
takeover of local shops and other businesses by foreign
nationals as well as perceptions that foreign nationals
perpetrate crime", Zuma's office said in a statement.
Zimbabwean presence
Zuma's statement quoted the president as saying that many
foreign nationals are living legally in South Africa and are
contributing to economic development.
On a visit to South Africa last week, Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe thanked South Africa for hosting many
Zimbabweans and said Zimbabwe would work with South
Africa to improve border security.
It is estimated that as many as three million Zimbabweans are
living in South Africa, many as illegal immigrants.
The violence against immigrants is "an expression of a terrible
failure of memory by South Africans" who endured racial
intolerance under apartheid, two South African foundations
said.
The foundations are named after anti-apartheid leader Nelson
Mandela, who died in 2013, and Ahmed Kathrada, another
campaigner against the white racist rule that ended in 1994.
In a statement, the foundations welcomed efforts by Zuma and
other senior leaders to stop the unrest, but said: "For too long,
South Africans in leadership positions have either ignored the
crisis or stoked the fires of hatred."

Its their ways of life.